Londoners invited to help shape the future of policing in the capital

Londoners invited to help shape the future of policing in the capital

Londoners are being urged to help shape the future of policing in the capital as the Met launches a public consultation on a new Inclusion Strategy designed to help tackle crime, better protect victims and strengthen trust and confidence across London's communities.

Over the past three years, the Met has taken significant steps to raise standards, improve accountability and strengthen trust and confidence with Londoners. It has removed hundreds of officers and staff who fell below the high standards the public rightly expect, strengthened vetting and misconduct systems, and worked with communities to improve the scrutiny and use of police powers such as stop and search.

The Met has also increased efforts to attract talent from every corner of London. Last year saw the most representative intake of recruits in the organisation's history, with more women and more Londoners from ethnic minority backgrounds joining the Met.

The force believes that progress matters not simply because a police service should reflect the city it serves, but because a better understanding of London's communities helps officers build trust, support victims and tackle crime more effectively.

The new Inclusion Strategy builds on that progress. It sets out how the Met will improve support for victims, strengthen community confidence and ensure everyone receives a fair and professional service.

At its heart is a simple principle: policing is most effective when communities trust the police. When people have confidence in the Met they are more likely to report crime, share intelligence, support investigations and help bring offenders to justice. When confidence is lower, victims can be less likely to come forward and opportunities to prevent harm can be missed.

Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley today called on Londoners from every part of the capital to help shape the commitments that will guide policing in one of the world's most diverse cities.

Sir Mark Rowley, Commissioner of the Met, said:

"Policing in Britain is built on consent. We can only keep London safe if we have the trust and confidence of the communities we serve.

“London is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and that diversity is one of its greatest strengths. Over the past three years we have worked hard to improve standards, strengthen accountability and rebuild trust. We have listened to communities, improved the way we use police powers, strengthened our vetting and misconduct systems and taken important steps to improve the service we provide to Londoners.

“Some people will argue this work isn't necessary. Others will dismiss it. They are wrong. This is not about ideology, public debate, or culture wars. It is about effective policing. Inclusion is an operational necessity. When victims feel understood and treated fairly, they are more likely to come forward. When communities trust us, they are more likely to report crime, share information and support investigations. That makes us more effective at preventing harm, protecting victims and bringing offenders to justice.

"Likewise, we must do everything possible internally to ensure every colleague has an equal opportunity to thrive, develop and succeed in the Met.

"We have made real progress, but we know there is more to do. That's why we want Londoners to help shape this strategy. Tell us where we're getting it right, where we need to improve and help us build a police service that is more trusted, more representative and more effective at keeping London safe."

The Inclusion Strategy builds on work already delivered through the London Race Action Plan and New Met for London.

Since 2022, the proportion of stop and search encounters assessed as having reasonable grounds has risen from 75.9 per cent to more than 94 per cent, while the number of intimate searches has fallen from 2,437 to 850.

The Met has also made progress in creating a more representative pipeline of future leaders. In recent years, increasing numbers of women and officers from ethnic minority backgrounds have been successfully progressing through promotion processes and into leadership roles.

The strategy takes a broader approach to understanding how different communities experience crime, victimisation and policing. It sets out measures to improve support for victims, strengthen the response to hate crime, improve understanding of vulnerability and ensure police powers are used fairly and proportionately.

By better understanding the barriers that can prevent people reporting offences, seeking support or engaging with investigations, the Met aims to increase reporting, identify hidden harm earlier and bring more offenders to justice.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:

“London’s communities are the eyes and ears of our city, and their relationship with the police is fundamental to policing by consent. Strong partnerships between communities and officers are key to reducing violence, cutting crime and keeping London safe.

“I welcome the Met’s new Inclusion Strategy. Rebuilding trust means listening to communities, confronting racism and disproportionality, and taking practical action to ensure every Londoner is treated with fairness, dignity and respect.

“This is an important step in delivering the reform Londoners expect and deserve. Building on the New Met for London Plan and the work of London’s Policing Board, it will help drive meaningful and lasting change. Police reform remains a core priority of my mayoralty, and I will continue supporting and challenging the Met to ensure we have a police service that is trusted, representative and provides the best possible service to every community as we build a safer London for everyone.”

The Met is now asking Londoners where policing is working well, where further improvements are needed and whether the commitments set out in the draft strategy will make a meaningful difference to their experience of policing.

Feedback from the consultation will help shape the final Inclusion Strategy and influence how the Met tackles crime, supports victims and builds trust across London in the years ahead.

The consultation is open until Thursday, 26 November and can be accessed here: www.met.police.uk/inclusion-strategy